Asphalt shingles near end of life: what it means, how serious, what it costs

Asphalt shingles, « bardeaux d’asphalte » in a French report, cover most sloped roofs in Quebec. Each shingle is a sheet of asphalt topped with small mineral granules that protect it from the sun. They are laid in overlapping rows, from the bottom up, so water runs over them.

The inspector judges their condition by how they look: granules coming off (you find them in the gutters), shingles curling, slots widening, shingles lifted or missing. “Near end of life” means planning to redo the roof in the coming years, not that it already leaks.

Worn shingles do not make a roof leak overnight. What matters is where and how many. Lifted shingles in a valley, where two slopes meet and water concentrates, or water marks in the attic, go under “Fix first”. A roof that is aging but still watertight is an expense to plan in your budget.

Also look at how the roof was seen: an inspector who looked from the ground or with binoculars sees less than one who walked on it.

Repairing a few lifted or missing shingles: $350 to $700. Redoing one slope: $4,500 to $9,000. Redoing the whole roof: $9,000 to $18,000.

The price depends mostly on the area, the pitch and the number of layers to remove. A roof near the end of its life is also a point to bring into the price negotiation.

These are ballpark figures for Quebec, to be confirmed with quotes.

1. How did you see the roof: walking on it, with a pole camera, with binoculars, from the ground?
2. What signs of wear did you see, and on which slopes?
3. Were there water marks in the attic under the damaged areas?

Ask the seller for the year of the roof and the roofer’s invoice: some warranties transfer to the new owner.

Does your report mention the shingles? Upload it: in five minutes, I tell you what comes first, what to have checked and what to ask the seller.

Usually 15 to 30 years, depending on the quality of the shingle, the direction the roof faces and the attic ventilation. A poorly ventilated attic ages shingles faster.

It is sometimes done, but most roofers remove the old layer: that way they see the condition of the wood deck and do not add weight to the roof.